Family History News and Views from Lisa Louise Cooke, host of The Genealogy Gems Podcast at www.GenealogyGems.com

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Go Inside the Titanic-Related Holdings at the National Archives in New York City

National Archives Launches New Video Short “Titanic at the National Archives – 100 Years”

Washington, DC. . . On the hundredth anniversary of the Titanic setting sail, the National Archives today is releasing its latest video short “Titanic at the National Archives – 100 Years,” taking viewers inside the Titanic-related holdings of National Archives at New York City. The 2:41 minute video is part of the ongoing “Inside the Vaults” series:

The film series is free to view and distribute on our YouTube channel at http://tiny.cc/Vaults. These videos are in the public domain and not subject to any copyright restrictions. The National Archives encourages the free distribution of them.

As the archival repository for the records for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the National Archives at New York City holds records in the admiralty case files related to Titanic, specifically the petition filed by the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, as the owner of Titanic, for limitation of liability. Among the documents are depositions of surviving passengers, blueprints of the ship, claims of loss and photographs. Often in the first person, they tell the story of the sinking in dramatic detail. In this video, National Archives archivist Bonnie Sauer, public programs specialist Dorothy Dougherty, education specialist Christopher Zarr, education technician Sara Pasquerello and volunteer William Roaka talk about their favorite Titanic documents in the holdings. The documents are available to the public in New York City, and many can also be viewed on the National Archives’ online research system, ARC.

Background on “Inside the Vaults”

“Inside the Vaults” is part of the ongoing effort by the National Archives to make its collections, stories, and accomplishments more accessible to the public. “Inside the Vaults” gives voice to Archives staff and users, highlights new and exciting finds at the Archives, and reports on complicated and technical subjects in easily understandable presentations. Earlier topics include the conservation of the original Declaration of Independence, and the 1297 Magna Carta, the transfer to the National Archives of the Nuremberg Laws, and the launch of a new National Archives user-friendly search engine. The film series is free to view and distribute on our YouTube channel at http://tiny.cc/Vaults